


American Gods

by strcwberrychuu (lovelcce)



Category: LOONA (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, Horror, gothic horror
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-19
Updated: 2020-02-16
Packaged: 2020-07-08 10:09:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 5,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19867846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovelcce/pseuds/strcwberrychuu
Summary: -in which Heejin, Hyunjin, Haseul, and ViVi take a roadtrip through America, where everything’s just a little bit... off-





	1. Encounter 1.01

Vivi had been the one to suggest a roadtrip, breaking a normally calm demeanor to practically beg the other three to come with her.

And now, Hyunjin sat behind the wheel of a small blue rental car, the New England spring fading into summer, and the daffodils wilting on the side of the road.

"Beware of bears this summer!" the radio crackled, "Sightings have become more frequent all over the state!"

Heejin sucked her teeth impatiently, changing the station to something that maybe would pass for classic rock.

"I hear that New England's a beautiful sight during the fall." Vivi said, laying down in the back seat with her head in Haseul's lap.

"It's still pretty now, I just wish this forest would end." Hyunjin replied, messing with the headlights before slumping back in the driver's seat.

"Hyunjin- slow down." Heejin said quietly, patting her hand against the other's arm.

The girls all followed Heejin's stare to the carcass of a deer on the side of the road. Except, that it wasn't alone. The smallest person they'd ever seen crouched over the body, facing away from the four in the car.

Hyunjin turned off the radio, practically stopping the car as they inched closer. The man - no, creature - turned to the girls. Its head was two times the size it should have been, and its mouth smiled to show rows of sharp little teeth. Dear god, the thing was covered in blood. It stood, and the girls sat frozen, watching as it shuffled towards them.

"Jesus Christ," Haseul said, her eyes wide.

Vivi glanced at the doors, then into the forest behind the creature. In the brush, more of those empty, blood-covered smiles stared at her.

"Drive." She said, jumping forward to lock the car doors. "Hyunjin, drive!"

As the small creature reached for the door handle, Hyunjin hit the gas, launching the girls away.

Vivi was the only one to look back, where twelve of the creatures converged on the carcass of the dead deer.


	2. Encounter 1.02

"What the fuck was that?" Heejin asked once the little creatures had faded from view.

"Do we really want to know?" Hyunjin muttered as Haseul pulled out her phone.

The car lapsed into silence as Haseul scrolled. Heejin played with her hair, braiding and undoing the same section of her hair, while Vivi leaned back in her seat and simply stared at the ceiling.

"Rumours of Melonheads date back before the colonization of New England. Reports claim tiny men with heads roughly the size of watermelons exist in the mountains and deep forests. While sightings are few and far between, Melonheads are practically synonymous with cannibalism due to a claim that they ate one witness' friend alive."

Haseul paused, exchanging a worried look with Vivi before continuing, "The most recent reported sighting claimed Melonheads generally feed on roadkill — hoping to attract curious humans to feed upon. Melonheads are the leading cryptids in certain New England states."

"That's stupid." Heejin said, "There's no such things as 'Melonheads' — it was probably some weird cult. They're- They're- Hyunjin help me out here."

"Are there any photos of them?" Hyunjin asked, pulling over and turning the hazard lights on.

"No, but there's a drawing from one of the witnesses." Haseul said, turning her phone towards the front of the car.

"Heejin," Hyunjin muttered softly, pulling out her own phone. "I think we saw a Melonhead."

Hyunjin held her phone next to Haseul's, where a slightly blurry photo of the creature almost exactly paralleled the drawing.

"Let's just get to the next town." Vivi said, looking away from the phones and towards the forest. "I don't want to be out here when it gets dark."


	3. Encounter 2.01

The sky was a dark orange when the girls pulled out of the forest, a Dairy Queen sign looming in the sunset.

Heejin was the first to start laughing, the other three following as they escaped the dark trees and turned towards a motel. That is, until the multicoloured lights of a police officer turned on behind them. The laughter died as they pulled over, Hyunjin watching as one officer got out of his car.

"Haseul, my liscense is in my bag. Can you-"

Haseul handed the liscense up, and Hyunjin quickly dropped it onto the dashboard, where it was easily viewable and accessable.

The cop knocked on the window, and the girls jumped, Hyunjin rolling it down slowly.

"Pretty late for a school night, girls." The officer said, raising an eyebrow.

"We're all graduated, sir. I'm 20." Hyunjin smiled tightly. "We're on a roadtrip, looking for a motel to spend the night."

The officer frowned. "There's a motel across from the McDonalds. You girls look... shaken up. Is everything okay?"

"We almost hit a deer in the forest. Just barely missed it." Hyunjin lied. "Have we done anything wrong, officer?"

"Just didn't recognize the car. You have a good night, girls." The officer looked back at the squad car and shook his head, the lights immediatly turning off.

The cop tilted his hat and smiled at the girls and— were his teeth sharper now? Hyunjin blinked, and the cop was walking back to his car.


	4. Encounter 2.02

The motel was right where the cop said it would be, across from the McDonalds, and next to the local high school. Though it didn't exactly look like a high school. There were bars on the windows, and metal detectors at each entrance. There was only one sign to mark the building on the lawn.

"MOBIUS HIGH SCHOOL OF THE SCIENCES"

"Is... someone breaking into the high school?" Haseul asked as the car rolled to a stop in the motel's parking lot.

A small girl with space buns was attempting to jump and grab the window's bars.

The four got out of the car, and watched as the girl continued to fall short of the window.

"Need some help?" Hyunjin asked, startling the smaller girl.

"Are you offering?" She replied, crossing her arms.

"Yeah, I guess so." Hyunjin said.

"Good! Help me up — I wanna see!" The girl said, pulling out a camera.

Hyunjin shrugged at Heejin and knelt down below the window so the strange girl could stand on her back.

"What are you doing?" Haseul said as the girl started taking photos between the bars.

"I'm a blogger." The girl said, "I photograph and share weird shit that happens all over New England."

"But you're, like, twelve?" Heejin said.

"I'm nineteen." The girl said, hopping down from Hyunjin's back. "My professional name's Froggo."

The girl - Froggo - slipped the camera back into her bag just before the cop car pulled into the parking lot.

"I thought there were four of you." The officer from early said, leaning out of his window.

"Yeah, we were meeting our friend, Mary, at the hotel before we continued on tomomorrow." Hyunjin smiled, wrapping an arm around Froggo's shoulders.

"I came through the bus station. Work held me up for the first day of the trip." Froggo supplied at the cop's unconvinced face.

"I see." He frowned, "My apologies, girls."

He tipped his hat once more before pulling away from the parking lot, Froggo turning towards Hyunjin as he left.

"Thank you. Can I offer you all some dinner in exchange?"

"Actually, yes." Vivi said, stopping Heejin from declining, "We've got something... weird we'd like to talk to you about."

"Perfect." Froggo grinned, her eyes lighting up. "How does Denny's sound?"


	5. Encounter 3.01

Froggo was apparently a very big fan of pancakes. She had two stacks of them in front of her, and was greedily pouring maple syrup over them when Hyunjin broke the silence.

“What’s happening at that school?”

“As far as I know, nothing.” Froggo said, taking a rather impressive bite of pancake.

“Then why would a investigative blogger be taking photos inside?”

“Pure curiosity.” Froggo said.

“Sounds like a terrible lie to me. If the cops heard that excuse, they’d lock you up.” Haseul said.

Vivi’s looking out the window of the Dennys, her coffee in her hands — she hadn’t ordered any food.

“Have you heard of melon heads, Froggo?” She asks, turning back towards the small blogger.

“In rumor, yes. But there haven’t been any sightings in fifty years.” Froggo said, taking a sip of her chocolate milk to wash her mouth. “They’re small little cannibals.”

“Try, last sighting was…” Hyunjin checks her watch. “Three hours ago.”

Froggo laughs at this, until she realizes that none of the other girls are laughing with her. “Oh my god. You’re serious.”

She leans in across the table. “Where? Why? How? Pictures?”

Hyunjin pulls out her phone and slides the image across the table. “It was eating a deer carcass when we saw it. We slowed down, but Vivi saw more of it in the forest and we ran away. This is the only proof we have.”

“It’s kind of a shitty photo.” Froggo frowns, leaning in towards it. “If you send it to me, I could clear up some of the blurring. I won’t post about it, at least, not until we’re all out of this town.”

“So.” Haseul said, sliding Hyunjin’s phone away from the blogger. “Why are you here?”

Froggo slightly pushed her plates away from her, pulling a laptop out of her bag. “Well, that’s the thing. This town is… normal. But, too normal. The high school has the highest test scores in the state, possibly in New England. They’ve never had an expulsion, let alone a suspension for bad behavior. It’s like every kid in town only cares about their grades.”

“It’s a small town?” Heejin suggested.

“There’s three hundred kids. Every school’s bound to have at least one problem child, but Mobius high school has exactly zero.” Froggo said, turning around her computer. “I obviously can’t tell you about the photos we took inside, I haven’t uploaded them onto my computer yet, so even I don’t know. But, from internet rumors, there’s something… wrong about the high school.”

“How so?” Vivi asked, leaning in as Haseul grabbed the computer.

“Travelers have reported lights being on in the school at odd hours of the night, every night of the week. And, well, this one’s a little more far fetched. But, according to one, let’s call them a witness, they saw-“ Froggo pauses to take a sip of her milk. “They saw into one of the classrooms, and the children were in there. Like there was a whole class of students, and they looked like they were copying notes from the board, but there weren’t any notes, and there wasn’t a teacher.”

“So… a study group?” Heejin said, though she sounded unsure.

“No. I don’t think so, at least. The report said it was late at night, past 10pm.” Froggo said. “What study group meets that late?”

Heejin’s staring into her mug as they all mull over the facts. “Mobius… I’ve heard of that before.”

“You have?” Haseul said, surprised.

“Yeah, we learned about it in school. Mobius Strip Theory.” Heejin pauses, gathering the small bits she could remember. “It… well, I think it was about some form of time loop. The mobius was connected in a loop, but with a physical twist in it. So, you could stay walking on the same path, or side I guess, of the Mobius and you’d see the inside and the outside, even though you’d never changed paths.”

“But how would that connect to a random high school?” Froggo said, stuffing another bite of pancake into her face.

Heejin shrugged. “Maybe they named the school after the guy who invented the theory.”

“Or maybe,” Vivi said, watching as the cop car slid past the diner. “The high school is an example. What if the late night classes of students are them on the opposite side of the mobs strip from regular classes.”

“Well, we wouldn’t be able to see them, then. The two sides can’t see each other.”

“The outside can, though.” Heejin said. “If day classes are the regular side, and night classes are the opposite side, and you’re outside of the school.”

“Then you’re looking in on the mobius strip.” Haseul said.

“You don’t have time to cause trouble if you’re always in class.” Froggo mumbles to herself, already typing away at her computer.


	6. Encounter 3.02

The photos that Froggo took only add to the girl’s suspicions as they meet outside of the motel, the school bells ringing loudly next door. In them, a classroom full of students sit, taking notes from the board - though they’re the only ones in the room.

“They look terrible.” Haseul said quietly, motioning to the children whose uniforms are stained and their hair unbrushed. “Do they go home?”

“Did you see anyone enter the school this morning besides staff?” Froggo looked over her shoulder to the school, which has fallen deathly silent.


	7. Encounter 3.03

“Do you want a ride out of town?” Hyunjin asked Froggo, as the girls all piled their luggage into the rental’s trunk. “We have an extra seat.”

Froggo looked conflicted for a moment before glancing around, “Yeah, actually, if you wouldn’t mind.”

“Great!” Vivi smiled, grabbing Froggo’s computer bag and stuffing it into the trunk. “You get the middle seat.”


	8. Encounter 4.01

The clouds were heavy when the five girls piled into the car, locking the doors as they slowly made their way through the town. The forest continued on the other side of the town, any signs of civilization ending abruptly past a sign that read “Thanks For Visiting!”

Heejin nervously played with her phone case, snapping it on and off her phone, as Froggo typed away on her computer, Vivi quietly commenting on what she read over the younger girl’s shoulder.

Haseul was in the front seat, frowning at the oncoming clouds as Hyunjin napped, her head against the window.

“How’s she asleep?” Heejin said, turning to look back at Hyunjin.

“She was driving for a couple of hours, Heejin.” Haseul said as lightning flashed in the distance. “That can take energy out of almost anyone.”

Heejin frowned before picking up a chunk of her hair and running her finger through it repeatedly, her eyes darting across the sky where brief flashes of lightning were peeking through the clouds. Thunder rumbled in the distance and Heejin closed her eyes, leaning her head back as Vivi and Froggo continued to talk quietly to each other.

“What the fuck is that?” Froggo said suddenly, her voice breaking the silence and startling Heejin.

“What?” Haseul said, looking nervously at the forest surrounding the car, though it was empty except for the trees and undergrowth.

“Look. In the sky.” Froggo said, leaning forward and pointing up at the clouds, where a large figure with great wings hovered, outlined every time lighting flashed behind them.

“Oh my god.” Heejin said.

Haseul slowed the car to a stop as the four girls watched, Froggo taking her camera out and snapping photos through the windshield. The figure seemed to turn, its long hair whipping around it. Still too far, the four girls couldn’t see much but the outline of the creature, but it looked vaguely humanoid - with two legs and two arms, though the large wings protruding from its back looked more bird like than anything else. Heejin reached her arm around her seat, blindly hitting at Hyunjin to wake her up, to which the girl groaned.

“Hyunjin, in the sky.” She said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Hyunjin leaned forward, squinting at the cloud covered sky. “Looks like an angel.”

“Angels don’t exist.” Froggo said with more certainty than anyone who believes in aliens should have.

“How would you know?” Vivi said. “There have been sightings of them for centuries, what’s to say that they don’t exist.”

“They- They- They just don’t.”

“But why not?”

“Because how would no one have truly gotten evidence of one if they don’t exist?” Froggo said, dropping her camera back into her bag.

“Didn’t you just capture proof?” Vivi said, thunder rumbling once again.

Lighting flashed, stronger than before as it lit up all five girl’s faces. They turned, watching in horror as it struck the flying creature, which plummeted towards the road below, one arm outstretched towards the sky before crumbling into a broken heap. The five girls sat frozen, the thunder roaring as they stared down the road at the figure.


	9. Encounter 4.02

Haseul put the car into drive, as Heejin turned to her with panic in her eyes.

“What are you doing?”

“Whatever it is, they’re hurt. You don’t have to get out of the car, I just need to see if it’s alive.” Haseul said, her hands tightening on the wheel as they pulled to a stop a few feet away from the creature.

“Haseul,” Vivi said, putting her hand on the other girl’s shoulder. “Turn the headlights on before we get out.”

Haseul nodded, turning the lever before she and Vivi quickly left the car, Heejin staring wide eyed as they approached the creature. The three left in the car held their breaths, watching as Haseul crouched down next to it, her and Vivi talking to each other quietly. Haseul reached out towards it, her hand about to touch it, when one of the wings twitched causing her to stumble back as Heejin let out a soft shriek. Heejin scrambled her way out of the car, causing Hyunjin and Froggo to quickly follow.

“Haseul, are you okay?” Heejin gasped as the older girl glanced up at them with a smile.

“I’m fine, but I’m not too sure about her.” Haseul motioned the creature on the ground, where the wing had moved just enough for its face to be visible.

The creature’s face was beautiful, and looked similar to Hyunjin’s if your looked quickly. Its hair was purple, hanging in soft waves that stood out against the white shirt that it wore. In fact, if Heejin couldn’t see its wings, she’d think it was a regular girl.

Froggo had brought her camera with her, and slowly held it up to take another photo of the girl, only for Vivi to stop her.

“Make sure her face is out of frame.” Vivi said. “Just incase, we don’t know if she’s like us.”

“She’s defiantly not like us.” Froggo said, raising an eyebrow.

“I meant if we can reason and talk with her.” Vivi frowned. “Just take photos of her wings, no face.”

“Yes, Mother.” Froggo muttered, holding her camera back up.


	10. Encounter 4.03

The girl stirred from where she was on the backseat of the car, the five girls having moved her carefully onto the padded bench. Hyunjin glanced back at her from where she was sitting in the passenger seat. The girl sat up, putting a hand to her head and looking around slowly.

“Good. You’re up.” Hyunjin smiled, pointing out where the other four girls were cuddled together on the side of the road. “I’m Hyunjin, those are my friends. We saw you fall out of the sky, Haseul thinks one of your wings are broken. I’m currently on watch to make sure no melon heads come after us again and to make sure you’re okay.”

“That I’m okay.” The purple haired girl repeated, her brow furrowing.

Hyunjin hummed in agreement as the girl looked back at the four huddled together.

“What are your friend’s names?” The creature asked, pulling her knees to her chest as one of her wings adjusted.

“Vivi and Haseul are the oldest, they’re the ones who suggested we put you in the car. Then there’s Heejin, she’s afraid of you, but she’ll come around quickly. We just met Froggo, and she’s weird, but I think you’ll like her. What about you?”

“I don’t have a name.” The creature said.

“Well, how’s Yerim? I think the name suits you.” Hyunjin said, looking over at the creature.

“Yerim.”

“Yeah, that can be your name. Since your wing’s broken, we can’t just leave you behind to walk, so we’re bringing you with us. You need a name for when we reach the next town.” Hyunjin said, not leaving any room for the creature to decide.

“I can’t go into town.” The creature said, looking out the back window at the town the five girls had fled.

“Well, then I guess it’s a good thing that we aren’t going back there ever again.” Hyunjin smiled, standing up from her seat. “Come on, let’s wake the other up.”

The creature followed as Hyunjin went over to the other girls, shaking one of them lightly. The creature shifted, grimacing as it attempted to move its left wing. The four girls slowly stirred and stood, with Heejin standing the farthest from the creature, her hand holding onto Hyunjin’s sleeve.

“This is Yerim, she’s kind of quiet. But she’s nice.” Hyunjin smiled, and Froggo was suddenly in the creature’s face.

“Do you mind if I take your photo? Your wings are fascinating and I want to have a friend take a look at them. Do you know your body’s composition? Your bone density must be different if you’re able to fly.” The smallest girl babbled, her hands swinging around before one of the other girls wrapped a hand around her mouth.

“I’m sorry, Froggo’s naturally annoying. I’m Haseul, this is Vivi and in the back is Heejin.” Haseul said. “Is your wing okay?”

The creature nodded, before pausing and shaking her head no. Haseul frowned and turned to Vivi, who also looked worried.

“Yerim’s a very nice name.” Vivi said, her voice soft. The creature nodded in agreement. “I’m afraid that none of us know how to set your wing so that it’ll heal properly. Do you know how to?”

The creature nodded. “I live alone out here, but when they let me go they taught me how to take of myself.”

“They?” Froggo asked, before Haseul shook her head no at her.

The creature looked around. “Do you have any large leaves I can use as bandages?”

“We have actual bandages.” Haseul said, walking towards the car and opening the trunk. “Hyunjin and Heejin are pretty clumsy, so I always pack more than I think I’ll need.”

Heejin had inched closer to the girl, now standing next to Hyunjin, though clutching tightly to Hyunjin’s arm still. She watched the creature carefully before taking a step closer.

“Is just your wing hurt?”

The creature looked at Heejin, who stumbled back a step in fear. She thought for a moment. “I don’t know. Nothing else feels broken.”

Heejin nodded in contentment, before leaning to whisper something to Hyunjin who nodded. Haseul slammed the trunk shut, causing the girls and creature to flinch.

“Sorry.” She said with a shrug before holding up a duffel bag with a white cross on it. “First aid kit.”


	11. Encounter 5.01

Shortly after they had all squished into the small car, the sky had opened, pouring down in heavy sheets that made it hard to see out the windshield. Vivi, Froggo, and Heejin were stuffed in the backseat with Yerim, whose wings were pressed awkwardly against Vivi’s side and the window, one wrapped tightly in white bandages.

Hyunjin and Haseul stayed in the front seats, being the only two capable of driving the car, switching seat every four hours or so. The conversation generally stayed light, though they had gone through Froggo’s previous adventures as a cryptic blogger, which she played up to be scarier than it was. Haseul and Hyunjin made sure that they stayed away from Yerim’s past — where she came from and who had abandoned her in the woods.

“Before we get into town, we need to figure out how to make Yerim less... conspicuous.” Heejin said, suprising Hyunjin as she had sat as far as she could from the winged girl. “We have some extra coats, right?”

“I think so?” Haseul asked.

“Okay. If we put her in a coat, that can probably last until we find somewhere to buy a hoodie for Yerim. An extra large one should be best to allow a little breathing room for her wings while also hiding them.” Heejin said, before glancing at Yerim out the corner of her eye. “I mean, if you want.”

Yerim blinked, taking a moment to realize Heejin was asking for her input. “Oh. I... I would like to see this town.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you enjoy my work, and would like to interact with me, here's my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/strcwberrychuu%E2%80%9D%20rel=)!


	12. Encounter 5.02

It’s Vivi who helps gently fold Yerim’s wings into the hoodie, her touch soft as the two struggled with the fabric. Yerim felt tears well in her eyes as the fabric pulled against her broken wing as they attempted to fit the second in. Vivi froze, letting the fabric loosen around the girl’s wing before Yerim nodded. Heejin was watching the two of them, ocasionally checking the time on her phone.

“How does that feel?” Vivi said once she stepped away, looking almost proud at how the baggy sweatshirt covered Yerim.

Not... right.” Yerim said, unused to her wings being so restricted. “But it does not hurt.”

Heejin nods at this, before standing up and waving over at where Hyunjin and Haseul are watching Yeojin climb a tree.

“It’s not perfect, but it should last until we find some that’ll fit you.” Haseul said, reaching up to adjust the shoulders of the hoodie.

Yerim looks nervously between them all, before wrinkling her nose. “Will I not stand out?”

“You will, but you’ll at least pass for human.” Yeojin said, and Heejin smacked her arm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you enjoy my work, and would like to interact with me, here's my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/strcwberrychuu%E2%80%9D%20rel=)!


	13. Encounter 5.03

Yerim looked around the restaurant warily, Heejin and Hyunjin sitting in the booth with her while the other girl’s looked for a restroom.

“It’s okay, Yerim.” Hyunjin said, softly, sliding a menu towards the girl. “Let’s just figure out what you’re gonna eat. What do you like?”

The winged girl stared at the menu blankly, before looking at Heejin slowly blinking.

“Right, lots of options.” Heejin nodded to herself, before standing and moving into the booth next to Yerim. “Do you like meat?”

“Meat?” Yerim said, before wrinkling her nose in distain and shaking her head.

“Okay, so vegetarian options. Let’s get you this,” Heejin pointed at the menu as Hyunjin and Yerim stared at her in almost shock. “A veggie burger’s a classic. And we’ll get... fries with it. Everyone likes fries.”

“Thank you.” Yerim said, her voice tiny as Heejin smiled at her.

The girl bumped her shoulder softly into Yerim’s, careful to not jostle any broken wings. “Hey, I’m sorry about...” Heejin paused as Yeojin and Vivi settled back into the booth next to Hyunjin. “Well, I treated you like you had the plague. I’m sorry.”

“Wow, that was suprisingly sweet.” Yeojin commented, grabbing a crayon and doodling on her placemat.

“Shut up, you dwarf.” Heejin hissed, reaching across the table to slap at the younger girl, who leaned back with a laugh.

Haseul arrived with the waitress just behind her, and ordered for the whole table, Heejin whispering Yerim’s order in her ear.

“Did you really need that long to shit, unnie?” Yeojin asked, and the girls all glared at her until they heard Yerim let out a small giggle. They froze, turning to look at their newest friend before the whole table was giggling happily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you enjoy my work, and would like to interact with me, here's my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/strcwberrychuu%E2%80%9D%20rel=)!


	14. Encounter 5.04

Yerim watched Heejin carefully as the other girl picked at her fries, dipping them in ketchup before munching happily. The winged girl turned to her own plate, mimiking the actions, and holding the fry just before her mouth. She wrinkled her nose slightly before taking a bite, chewing slowly as she stared at the leftover fry in confusion.

“Do you not like it?” Hyunjin asked.

Yerim looked at Heejin in concern before turning back to Hyunjin. “Are they supposed to taste like this?”

Heejin grabbed a fry from Yerim’s plate and ate it, before nodding. “Try them without ketchup.”

Yerim made a face and Heejin laughed before picking up her burger. “Okay. So no fries. Burger?”

Yerim watched Heejin eat for a moment, repeating the motions as she bit into the veggie burger. Her eyes widened slightly, and she took another bite.

“Good?” Vivi asked, stealing a fry from the winged girl’s plate.

“Mm!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you enjoy my work, and would like to interact with me, here's my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/strcwberrychuu%E2%80%9D%20rel=)!


	15. Encounter 5.05

The girls left the diner with their cheeks flushed and stomachs full, Heejin linking an arm with Yerim as they walked.

“Where are we going?” Yerim asked quietly, and Heejin blinked before realizing she was the person being questioned.

“Oh, we’re pretty squished in the car, so we’re gonna switch it out for a van. This town has the rental company we’re using.” Heejin said, before pulling Vivi into the conversation to help explain what rentals car companies were.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you enjoy my work, and would like to interact with me, here's my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/strcwberrychuu%E2%80%9D%20rel=)!


	16. Encounter 6.01

Yerim sat across the back seat of the van, her feet against the window as one of her wings draped to the floor. In her hands, she held a small book, previously purchased by Vivi at a cafe. Most of the girls were sitting on a blanket on the side of the road, a basket of sandwiches split between them, and Froggo bouncing back and forth from the van to supply Yerim with food. _The Observers Book of Wildflowers_ was almost completely inaccurate, according to Yerim, though she had never learned the proper names for any of the flowers in the book.

“These are poisonous,” She said, pointing and showing the picture to Hyunjin of a flame lily.

“Did you eat flowers?” Hyunjin asked, looking away from her phone.

Yerim paused, “Do you?”

“No,” Hyunjin laughed. “You’ve seen what we eat.”

“Well, neither do I.” Yerim said, and she shifted, allowing her other wing to lightly raise into the space between her and the back of the seat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you enjoy my work, and would like to interact with me, here's my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/strcwberrychuu%E2%80%9D%20rel=)!


	17. Encounter 6.02

Vivi sat in the seat in front of Yerim, a shopping bag in her hands.

“So, while we were in town I went shopping.” The older girl grinned. “And I picked you up some more hoodies for when we’re in public. Those are in the trunk. But, when we’re just gonna be driving or something, I thought we should get you something comfortable. So, I got you these!”

Vivi passed the bag to Yerim, who blinked slowly. Inside were at least a dozen shirts of varying cuts and colours.

“Obviously we’ll have to alter them for your wings - but I got a little of everything so you could find out what you like. And also, I got you this.” Vivi reached into the bag, pushing past the clothes to pull out a soft brown notebook, with a fake leather tie wrapped around it. “It’s a journal. And there’s some pens somewhere in the bag, too. But you can write whatever you want in here. And we won’t read it. I’ll stop Froggo myself, don’t worry. It’s just something for you to put your thoughts into.”

Yerim swallowed, her throat thick with emotions before she looked back up at Vivi, who smiled. “Thank you, but I don’t know what to write.”

“It’s whatever you want. It doesn’t have to be consistent. One day you can write a completely fictional story, the next a dictionary definition of a plant, if you want.” Vivi said, beginning to put the shirts back jnto the bag. “Whatever makes you happy, Yerim.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you enjoy my work, and would like to interact with me, here's my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/strcwberrychuu%E2%80%9D%20rel=)!


	18. Encounter 6.03

“Haseul?” Yerim asked, curled in the passenger seat as the older girl drove.

“Yeah?”

“What makes you happy?”

“What makes me happy.” Haseul hummed softly, her brows knitting together as she thought. “Well, my friends makes me happy. But music, music makes me happy. I trained to be an opera singer when I was a teenager. Why?”

“I don’t know what makes me happy.” Yerim said, propping her chin on her knee.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you enjoy my work, and would like to interact with me, here's my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/strcwberrychuu%E2%80%9D%20rel=)!


	19. Encounter 6.04

Yerim stuck her tongue out at Yeojin, who was currently hanging upside down on the back seat. Yerim’s journal in the youngest girl’s hands as Haseul and Vivi softly argued over directions. 

“I didn’t know you knew so much about butterflies.” Yeojin said. 

“I had a lot of free time.” Yerim shrugged, picking at the grass on the side of the road. Her wings were fully extended, though laying across the ground in a way that Vivi would make comments on how dirty they were later. 

“You know what you should do?” Yeojin said, practically falling out of the car. “You should get a camera. I’m gonna get you a camera for this stuff.”

Yerim tilted her head, confusion evident on her face. 

“It’ll be an instant camera. Prints the photos immediatly. You can tape them in here, so we can see what you’re talking about!” Yeojin said, a grin spreading across her face. 

“I don’t know how to take photos.” Yerim said, but Yeojin was already pulling her camera out. 

“As if I wouldn’t help you. Honestly, Yerim.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you enjoy my work, and would like to interact with me, here's my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/strcwberrychuu%E2%80%9D%20rel=)!


	20. Encounter 6.05

Yeojin’s camera hung loosely around her neck, swinging as she walked through the forest - Yerim by her side. 

“You don’t mind being left with me?” The winged girl asked, playing with the hem of her sleeve. 

“Of course not. What’d think to mess with us?” Yeojin grinned, before stopping to look at a large spider’s web between two trees. “Whoah!”

Yerim tilted her head, watching as Yeojin simply snapped a photo of it before continuing to walk. “Is the web that interesting?”

“I just thought it was pretty.” The smaller girl shrugged, before pointing at a small bunch of purple flowers. “Like those!”

Yeojin carefully sped walked to them, picking a few before returning to Yerim. “Turn around.”

“What?”

“Turn around.” Yeojin pouted, and Yerim rolled her eyes before complying. There was the motion of her hair being braided, before Yeojin paused. “Do you have a hairtie?”

“Mn.” Yerim lifted her wrist, letting Yeojin slip the scrunchie from her before being turned around. 

“Perfect!”

Yerim tilted her head, only to see Yeojin shoving the camera’s screen at her face. Her long purple hair had been braided with the flowers woven in it. “I’ll develop it at the next town, and then you put it in the journal Vivi got you.”

Yerim smiled. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you enjoy my work, and would like to interact with me, here's my [Twitter](https://twitter.com/strcwberrychuu%E2%80%9D%20rel=)!


End file.
